Nov. 29, 2023
Good day, and welcome to the Fairfax County NewsCenter podcast. Coming up, learn about extended season hours at some area farmers markets, our Access Services Library, the Golden Gazette, more solar at county buildings, our Hypothermia Prevention Program and Made in Fairfax. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
There might be a little more chill in the air, but the harvest is far from over at three of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Farmers Market locations! Enjoy the extended season at the Reston, Burke, and McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon farmers markets. Starting Nov. 25, each market will welcome a handful of new vendors in addition to the ones you know and love. Expect new products, such as bagels, hot biscuits, pho, fresh cheese and more! The Extended Season will continue each week until market closing dates. The Burke Farmers Market, located in the VRE Parking Lot, 5671 Roberts Parkway Burke, is open 8 a.m. until noon until Dec. 16. The Reston Farmers Market, located at Lake Ann Village Center, 1609-A Washington Plaza, Reston, is open 8 a.m. to noon until Dec. 2. And the McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon Farmers Market at Sherwood Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane in Alexandria, is open 8 a.m. to noon until Dec. 20. For more on the county's farmers markets, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets.
Do you or someone you know struggle to visit a library or read library books? The Access Services Library, part of the Fairfax County Public Library system and situated at the Government Center, offers two services for residents of Fairfax County who cannot physically visit the library or cannot read a book due to a disability. The first service is Home Delivery, which provides materials owned by Fairfax County Public Library. To qualify, a resident must have a permanent or temporary disability, or a physical limitation that prevents them from visiting their local branch. Once in the program, books and DVDs are mailed at no cost to the patron. The second service offered is the Talking Books program. We work with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, a division of the Library of Congress, to mail digital books and magazines, plus braille materials. Individuals who are unable to read or use standard print due to permanent or temporary blindness, visual impairment, or physical limitations may qualify for the program. Both services, Home Delivery and Talking Books, require an application. Talking Books also requires a signature from a certifying authority. For more information on either program, or to apply, please call Access Services at 703-324-8380, or email libas@FairfaxCounty.gov.
Find other county podcasts at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts. And for 24/7 news and information from and about Fairfax County, listen to Fairfax County Government Radio online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/radio.
The Golden Gazette is a free monthly publication published by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services. It covers local news-to-use and human interest stories for older adults and caregivers. The publication is available in print, online, and via email. Subscribe to the Golden Gazette online at www.FairfaxCounty.gov/OlderAdults and click on “sign me up.” You can also “Unsubscribe” and change your contact information at this page. If you cannot access the internet, call 703-324-4653 and leave a message to subscribe or unsubscribe with your contact information. The Golden Gazette is also read over the phone to subscribers who register with The Washington Ear. Go to WashEar.org or call 301-681-6636 to register for this free service.
We’ve added yet another solar array on a county government building. This latest installation is in Chantilly at the Sully Community Center, which serves as the home of the Sully Senior Center and also provides a broad array of services, programs and activities for individuals of all ages and abilities. The cost of the project at the 38,000-square-foot building is approximately $537,000 but is expected to generate savings of approximately $1 million over 25 years. In addition to reducing operating costs and generating clean energy, the effort will yield additional benefits over time, such as contributing to better air quality by reducing emissions and providing some shading effect for the roof. The initiative supports sound environmental policies and practices – a goal outlined in the Environment and Energy Outcome Area of our Strategic Plan. Our Operational Energy Strategy has set a goal for carbon neutrality in facilities, fleet vehicles and county operations, including 50 percent of county electricity from renewable sources, by 2040. Reaching that goal will require several efforts to include improving energy efficiency and conservation, adopting alternative technologies, reducing waste and water usage, and empowering behavior change. The Sully Community Center project is one of five solar installations that are complete or in progress for new or existing county facilities in 2023. NewsCenter has more information; fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Since 2005, the Fairfax County Hypothermia Prevention Program has prevented death and serious injuries among people experiencing homelessness by ensuring that no one must sleep outside during the winter months. This program – available to any adult in need of immediate shelter – provides warm shelter, food, and other supportive services to help connect guests to a variety of basic needs such as clothing, employment, housing, and more. It remains a highly effective partnership between government, nonprofits, and the faith community. The program is open every day countywide from Dec. 1, and ending March 31, 2024. Overflow shelter capacity in the year-round adult shelters began November 15. Before that date, shelters activated overflow capacity during extreme weather events and unseasonably low temperatures. Overflow shelter capacity is limited. Sign up for Fairfax Alerts, specifically “Homelessness Cooling and Heating Resources,” for information on overflow activation. For more information on the county's Hypothermia Prevention Program, visit fairfaxcounty.gov and search, "hypothermia prevention program."
From custom cookies and cake pops to handmade furniture and jewelry, there are numerous small-scale production businesses that call Fairfax County home. Established in 2018, Made in Fairfax was developed by the county to support and connect small-scale production or “maker” businesses. Today, the Made in Fairfax Network is composed of more than 125 local makers, which are all accessible through an online directory. NewsCenter has more: fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Finally, subscribe to “Weekender,” the county’s weekend arts and entertainment e-newsletter. “Weekender” brings together offerings from around the county and delivers that info right to your inbox. Don’t miss out on fun happenings throughout the county. Subscribe to “Weekender” at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/weekender.
That’s all for this NewsCenter podcast. Thanks for listening. For more information about the topics in this podcast and for news updates, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news. You also may call 703-FAIRFAX, that’s 703-324-7329, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or email publicaffairs@fairfaxcounty.gov. News to Use is produced by the Fairfax County, Va., Government.
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